Appendices

Appendix 1 Physical constants of bitumens

[565]

A1.1 Specic gravity

The specic gravity of a bitumen is primarily dependent on the grade of the bitumen and temperature. Typical values of specic gravity for a range of grades of bitumen are given in Table A1.1 and the eect of temperature on specic gravity is detailed in Table A1.2. The conversion from volume of bitumen in litres to weight in tonnes at various temperatures and values of specic gravity is detailed in Table A1.3.
A1.2 Coefcient of cubical expansion

The coecient of cubical expansion of bitumen is eectively independent of the grade and is virtually constant at 0.00061/8C over the temperature range 15 to 2008C.
A1.3 Electrical properties Electrical conductivity

Bitumen has a low electrical conductivity and is therefore an ideal insulating material. Hard grades of bitumen have slightly lower values of electrical conductivity than soft grades. However, these dierences are insignicant. The electrical conductivity of all grades increases with increasing temperature, as shown in Table A1.4. The inuence of llers on electrical conductivity is negligible unless conductive llers such as graphite, coke or metal powders are used in signicant quantities.
Dielectric strength

The dielectric strength is measured in kilovolts per millimetre and depends upon the conditions of measurement and the shape of the
565 PFEIFFER J P H (Ed). The properties of asphaltic bitumen, vol 4, Elseviers Polymer Series, 1950. Elsevier Science, Amsterdam.

433

The Shell Bitumen Handbook

Table A1.1 Typical specic gravities of bitumens at 258C
Grade of bitumen Penetration grades 250/330 160/220 100/150 50/70 40/60 30/45 20/30 Oxidised grades 75/30 85/25 85/40 95/25 105/35 115/15 Hard grades H 80/90 H 110/120 Cutback grades 50 sec 100 sec 200 sec Typical specic gravity at 258C 1.0101.020 1.0151.025 1.0201.030 1.0201.030 1.0251.035 1.0251.035 1.0301.040 1.0151.030 1.0201.035 1.0101.025 1.0151.030 1.0001.015 1.0201.035 1.0451.055 1.0551.065 0.9921.002 0.9951.005 0.9971.007

Table A1.2 Typical specic gravities of bitumen at various temperatures

Temperature, 8C 1.00 15.5 25 45 60 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 1.006 1.000 0.988 0.979 0.961 0.955 0.949 0.943 0.937 0.931 0.925 0.919 0.913 0.907 0.901 0.895 1.01 1.016 1.010 0.998 0.989 0.971 0.965 0.959 0.953 0.947 0.941 0.935 0.929 0.923 0.917 0.911 0.905 Specic gravity at 258C 1.02 1.026 1.020 1.008 0.999 0.981 0.975 0.969 0.963 0.957 0.951 0.945 0.939 0.933 0.927 0.921 0.915 1.03 1.036 1.030 1.018 1.009 0.991 0.985 0.979 0.973 0.967 0.961 0.955 0.949 0.943 0.937 0.931 0.925 1.04 1.046 1.040 1.028 1.019 1.001 0.995 0.989 0.983 0.977 0.971 0.965 0.959 0.953 0.947 0.941 0.935 1.05 1.056 1.050 1.038 1.029 1.011 1.005 0.999 0.993 0.987 0.981 0.975 0.969 0.963 0.957 0.951 0.945

434

Appendix 1
Table A1.3 Conversion factors linking volume to weight for bitumen at various temperatures and specic gravities
Temperature: 8C Specic gravity at 258C 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 litres/tonne litres/tonne litres/tonne litres/tonne litres/tonne litres/tonne 995 1010 1020 1041 1047 1054 1060 1067 1074 1081 1088 1095 1103 1110 1117 984 999 1009 1030 1036 1043 1049 1056 1063 1070 1076 1083 1091 1098 1105 973 988 998 1019 1026 1032 1038 1045 1052 1058 1065 1072 1079 1086 1093 963 978 988 1009 1015 1022 1028 1034 1041 1047 1054 1060 1067 1074 1082 953 968 978 999 1005 1011 1017 1024 1030 1036 1043 1049 1056 1063 1070 943 958 968 989 995 1001 1007 1013 1019 1026 1032 1038 1045 1052 1058

25 45 60 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200

Table A1.4 Relationship between temperature and electrical conductivity

Temperature, 8C 30 50 80 Conductivity, S/cm 1014 1013 1012

Table A1.5 Relationship between temperature and dielectric strength

Temperature: 8C 20 50 60 Dielectric strength: kV/mm (at electrodes) 2030 10 5

electrodes. Hard grades of bitumen tend to have a higher dielectric strength than soft grades. The dielectric strength of all grades decreases with increasing temperature, as shown in Table A1.5.
Dielectric constant (permittivity)

The dielectric constant (or permittivity) of bitumen is about 2.7 at 258C rising to about 3.0 at 1008C. The dielectric losses in bitumen rise with increasing temperature but fall with increasing frequency. The Transport and Road Research Laboratory showed that the rate at which bitumen

435

The Shell Bitumen Handbook

weathers under the combined eects of oxygen, rain and oil deposition from trac and ultraviolet light in sunlight is related to the dielectric constant of the bitumen[566].
A1.4 Thermal properties Specic heat

The specic heat of bitumen is dependent on both the grade of the bitumen and the temperature. Values of specic heat vary from 1675 to 1800 J/kg/8K at 08C. The specic heat is increased by 1.67 to 2.51 J/kg for every 18C increase in temperature.
Thermal conductivity

Bitumen is a good thermal insulating material and typically has a thermal conductivity of 0.15 to 0.17 W/m/8K.

566 GREEN E H. An acceptance test for bitumen for rolled asphalt wearing courses, Laboratory Report 777, 1977. Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorne.

436